Nearly 50% spike in fentanyl in wastewater reported by PDPHE
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment (PDPHE) is reporting a nearly 50% spike in fentanyl found over the past month in wastewater through their testing program for the city.
The spike shows 7 Milligrams of Fentanyl per 1,000 people. For context, just 2 milligrams of Fentanyl can be deadly. In prior months, the tests had shown around 5 milligrams of Fentanyl per 1,000 people.
The spike in Fentanyl coincided with two suspected Fentanyl Overdose deaths Pueblo Police (PPD) investigated on Thursday and a spike in Fentanyl-related cases.
"We have received reports of two possible fentanyl overdose deaths in the last hour, hour and a half," Bianca Hicks, PIO for PPD said Thursday. "Unfortunately, we have seen a slight increase in fentanyl cases from this time this year compared with this time last year."
During the first quarter of 2024, PPD seized 143 grams of Fentanyl. During the same quarter of this year, police officers seized 286 grams.
Though overall crime statistics are down in the Steel City, PPD says they're still concerned about the increase in drug activity. The county health department concurs.
"It is alarming because fentanyl is highly toxic when used illicitly," Moremi Hamblin, a Data Analyst for the county health department, said. "We know that two milligrams of fentanyl is what they over what can result in a fatal overdose. But we don't really know why this is going on. We just know that this is what's going on, what's happening."
Porchlight Health, an addiction recovery center in Pueblo, says they're hearing that Fentanyl is now being distributed in powder form and that the Heroin supply is also laced with Fentanyl. Changes in the way the drug is distributed make it more and more dangerous to folks who are experiencing addiction.
"We need to destigmatize [addicts], that they're just such a bad person," Christina Sandoval with Porchlight said. "Everybody is a human being, and... they deserve help. And it would be great if we just had more federal funding, maybe for programs."
